1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a combined internal combustion and electric engine and more specifically to an otherwise conventional internal combustion engine in which a plurality of cylinders within the engine are blocked and the pistons contained therein are replaced by solenoid operated pistons.
2. Description of Prior Art
Several prior art patents disclose the operation of an internal combustion engine on less than the full number of cylinders provided. Abdoo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,863, discloses an internal combustion engine having a control for preventing combustion in a cylinder or cylinders of a multicylinder engine. This is achieved by preventing the opening of the intake and exhaust valves of a predetermined cylinder or cylinders to be disabled. Thornburgh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,607, discloses an eight cylinder engine which can be operated on only four cylinders by disabling four of the cylinders of the engine. A plurality of solenoids are energized to prevent the inlet and exhaust valves for the combustion chambers of the disabled cylinders from opening.
Other prior art patents disclose the operation of an engine by solenoids. Morch, U.S. Pat. No. 2,338,005, discloses an engine operating as an electric engine by the use of solenoids which cause the reciprocation of pistons which in turn drive a crankshaft. A timing shaft is employed to operate the sequence of solenoid activation. Pecci, U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,719, describes a plurality of small pistons which are operable by solenoids which are sequentially activated in order to drive an engine. The distributor for operating the solenoids is of the carbon brush type. James, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,153, describes a free piston moveable within a cylinder under the action of fuel. This piston carries a plurality of magnets which will help the piston generate electric current through a plurality of coils. Dawes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,609, discloses an internal combustion engine which functions both as an engine and as a generator for alternating current.
Other prior art discloses the conversion of an internal combustion engine into an electrically operated engine by changing all of the pistons within the engine to electric operation. Moodyman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,040, discloses an internal combustion engine which has been converted to a solenoid operated engine by the use of a small piston operated by a solenoid and by the removal of the cam shaft and valves. A distributor controls the activation of the solenoid in appropriate sequence in order to operate the engine.
None of the devices disclosed by the prior art, however, disclose the concept of deactivating less than the total number of gas operated pistons in an otherwise conventional internal combustion engine and operating these as deactivated pistons by means of solenoids. In other words, the prior art does not disclose an engine which is a combined electric and internal combustion engine.